Why did Costa Rica abolish its military?

Costa Rica is the first country in the world to abolish its army and is now one of the 21 countries in the world that don’t have a military. The country decided to abolish it after the civil war which broke out in 1948 (“Revolution of 48”). The decision was announced on December 1, 1948 by former president José Figueres Ferres and took effect in 1949.

This decision allowed Costa Rica to avoid the establishment (supported by the United States) of a military dictatorship as was the case in most Latin American countries during the Cold War, giving rise to a strong militarization of the region. 

The 1948 civil war

The civil war in Costa Rica lasted 44 days and broke out after the cancellation of the 1948 general elections between the candidate Otilio Ulate of the National Union Party (right) and the former president rallied to the communists, Rafael Calderón Guardia (1940-1944). For his part, José Figueres Ferres was an ally of Ulate who had repeatedly denounced the corruption of previous governments, notably under the presidency of Calderón Guardia. 

The presidential elections of 1944 and the midterm elections of 1946 were contested by the opposition to the Calderonist government of Teodoro Picado Michalski (1944-1948). Following the 1947 “fallen arms” strike (“huelga de brazos caídos” in Spanish)  by the political opposition contesting the election results, an agreement between the government and the opposition was signed stipulating that elections could no longer be contested from then on. 

Nevertheless, the results of the elections of February 8, 1948 which announced the victory of Ulate were contested by Calderón Guardia, thus violating the agreements of 1947 and the Congress annulled the elections. This is how the conflict started on March 12, 1948 with the “Corn Plan” organized by the rebels to take the town of San Isidro de El General.

On April 18, 1948, the Calderistas announced the government's capitulation. The next day, the Figuerista rebels took back San Isidro de El General that they had lost, representing the last battle of the civil war. The government and the rebels signed the Mexican Embassy Pact and on April 20, the third presidential nominee, Santos Leon Herrera, assumed the presidency for 18 days until the creation of the Founding Junta (“Junta Fundadora” in Spanish) of the Second Republic, which would be led by Figueres. This date officially marks the end of the conflict. 

Many of Ulate's supporters were reluctant toward Figueres and feared that he would never return power to Ulate. To avoid further conflict between the victors, Ulate and Figueres signed a pact on May 1, 1948 agreeing that after the 18-month provisional government beginning on May 8, 1948, Ulate would return to power since he is the rightful winner of the past elections. The pact also provided for the calling of elections for a National Constituent Assembly (to draft a new Constitution) during the provisional government. 

Figuerres with combatants

The abolition of Costa Rica's military

During his mandate, Figueres dissolved the National Liberation Army, and on December 1, 1948, in a very symbolic act, he announced the abolition of the Costa Rican army. A ceremony was organized during which President Figuerres hit the wall of the Cuartel Bellavista with a mallet, transformed shortly after into the National Museum of Costa Rica. Figueres proclaimed:

"We, men who have recently shed blood in a country of peace, understand the seriousness of the wounds that this may have caused to Latin America and recognize the urgent need to heal those wounds. We do not wield the murderer's dagger, but the surgeon's scalpel. As surgeons, we are now not only interested in the operation performed but also and mostly in the future health of the Nation, which requires that this wound close quickly to become a much healthier and stronger scar than its original tissue.

We are strong believers in the ideal of a new world in America. To the homeland of Washington, Lincoln, Bolivar and Martí, today we want to say: Oh, America! Other peoples, who are also your sons, offer you their victories. Little Costa Rica always wishes to be able to offer you, just like today, with its heart, its love for civility, for democracy."

The abolition of the Costa Rican military was a strategic decision from Figuerres taking into account that were in the middle of the Cold War: Figueres wanted to make sure to be supported by the United States in case of conflict as well as showing that his country was politically stable and above all that no communist threat could hinder peace. The United States obviously supported this decision and even offered to form the Civil Guard which would replace the army. 

The Costa Rican Civil Guard was therefore created in April 1949, by Law No. 178 of the new Political Constitution approved on November 7, 1949. State resources initially intended for defense and the military were therefore redirected to the areas of education and health. 

Could Costa Rica have an army again?

Like for Japan, the military abolition is enshrined in the Costa Rican Constitution:

"The Army is proscribed as a permanent institution. For the surveillance and maintenance of public order, there will be the necessary police forces. It is only by continental agreement or for national defense that the military forces can be organized; both will always be subordinate to the civil power: they will neither be able to deliberate nor make demonstrations or declarations individually or collectively."

Article 12 of the Political Constitution of Costa Rica

For Costa Rica to be able to form another army:

• The Constitution would have to be amended

• The national security of Costa Rica must be threatened

• There must be a continental agreement

In the second and third case-scenarios, the population must agree to the formation of a military.

Japan has found a way to get around its own Constitution which stipulates that it cannot have armed forces (article 9) by creating “Self-Defense Forces”, especially to face Chinese and North Korean threats since the early 2010s.

When it comes to Costa Rica, the Costa Rican army has never been a powerful institution of great importance. The decision to abolish it is particularly symbolic for the population and the question of reestablishing an army is not part of the public debate in Costa Rica. Furthermore, there is no threat from other states against Costa Rica, although the situation in Central America cannot be said to be truly stable. 

Bibliography:

“Abolición del Ejército en Costa Rica, 1949 - Memory of the World - Latin America and the Caribbean.” Accessed May 2, 2025. https://www.unesco.org/es/memory-world/lac/abolition-army-costa-rica-1949.

“Conozca la historia de la Abolición del Ejército en Costa Rica | Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud,” November 30, 2021. https://www.mcj.go.cr/sala-de-prensa/noticias/conozca-la-historia-de-la-abolicion-del-ejercito-en-costa-rica.

Museo Nacional de Costa Rica. “Abolición del ejército « Museo Nacional de Costa Rica.” Accessed May 5, 2025. https://www.museocostarica.go.cr/los-secretos-del-jardin-abolicion/abolicion-del-ejercito/.

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